Petes Pix 2022

  Back to London Colney to continue our walk to the 3 large lakes, variously called Willow or Alban Lakes with individual names. We parked in the industrial estate  between Barnet Road and the A1081 and next to the River Colne. Footpath signs were confusing, at one place pointing us to a walk around a lake where the gate at the other end said Anglers Only. It was a pleasant day and quite warm when sheltered from the wind.

We took our new folding camping chairs to Wimpole Estate and ate our sandwiches in comfort. Afterwards we toured the house; only the ground floor and basement were open. Afterwards we walked to the walled garden where it started to rain, so we returned to the car and home. We'll have to return.

  At the June meeting of The Grumpy Old Men, John came suitably attired. Colin was host this month and chose Al-Farid Moroccan restaurant. I had Mashvoi as my starter which the menu lists as Roast bell peppers, onions, garlic, coriander and olive oil. Served with Al-Farid crackers. What came  wasn’t what I expected, but it was jolly tasty.  The main course was Addas Badijam Oven roasted Aubergine stuffed with lentils and Persian jewelled rice slow cooked in a tomato sauce. Served with a side salad. It comes in a tajine which, when the top is whipped off, releases a smoke signal of steam. I had a Moroccan wine, of course. 2019 Les Celliers de Meknes Zniber Domaine Riad Jamil (Morocco, Meknès-Fès, Beni M’Tir) The back label in French says that it’s old vine Carignan, whole berry fermented and aged in French oak barrels, and it was lovely drinking. 700×705 46.7 KB image

Went for an exploratory walk along the London Colney lakes, parking in Broad Lakes Lodge Social Club carpark on Shenley Lane. We walked through Broad Colney Lakes Nature Reserve, past the Green Dragon and part of the way on the other side of Barnet Road along the River Colne before turning back Next time we'll start from Barnet Road and see the much larger Willows Lakes.

 

To Audley End , which is much busier than we expected, but it's half term and there were many kids.  The weather was sunny but cold, when it started to spit with rain we took a (self-guided) tour of the house, and when we emerged the sun was shining so we walked around the floral garden, then down down to the walled kitchen garden. The garden has long greenhouses which grew peaches, apricots and grapes for the dining table. Grape vines in the greenhouses are not labelled, but one area in the greenhouse grew an early ripener, Black Hamburg while another room in the greenhouse grew the late ripening Lady Downe’s Seedling.  Grapes from that was said to last until March the following year, while Black Hamburg grapes from Audley End won a prize at the Cambridge Horticultural Show on 20 May 1874, which seems very early indeed. None of the grape vines now growing are anywhere near. Then we returned home for ratatouille which I’d made on Tuesday, so I needed only to warm that and heat bagu